Dynamic Knowledge and Static InfrastructureWildlife Monitoring and Mitigation in British Columbia

Leonard Sielecki, M.Sc., R.P.Bio, MCIPBritish Columbia Ministry of Transportation

Highway 3 Science WorkshopFernie, British Columbia

January 29, 2008 Copyright © 2008 - All Rights Reserved

British Columbia Highway System

Total System = 84,225 Total Lane Km

BC Highway Infrastructure

Northern Roads: less than 5,000 vehicles per dayInterior Roads: over 30,000 vehicles per dayCommuter Routes: over 100,000 vehicles per day

BCMoT Environmental Staff

BCMoT Environmental StaffHeadquarters (Victoria)

Regional Offices (Kamloops, Prince George, Vancouver)

Major Projects• Sea-to-Sky (Highway 99)• Kicking Horse (Highway 1)• Gateway Program

– Port Mann / Highway 1– South Fraser Perimeter Road– Pitt River Bridge and Mary Hill Interchange

• William R. Bennett Bridge

Integrated ApproachIntegrated approach to environmental issues:• Regulatory agencies

– Environment Canada, DFO, BCMoE, etc.• Stakeholders

– First Nations, Municipalities, BC Hydro, etc.• Non-government organizations (NGO’s)

– Conservation Societies, Streamkeepers, etc.• Environmental specialists

– Wildlife – Fisheries– Vegetation

Guiding InstrumentsFederal and Provincial Legislation• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act• British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act

Ministry Documents• Highway Environmental Assessment Process (HEAP)• Best Management Practices (BMP’s)

Scoping and Pathway Analysis• Valued Ecosystem Components (VECS) assessment

Constraints• Design Standards• Operational Lifespan of Infrastructure• Safety• Legal• Operational• Financial• Land Use• Environmental• Knowledge Shortfalls• Accountability

British Columbia Terrestrial Mammals

Photo Credits: Bison – Ron Wiebe, BCMoT (copyright); Badger - Government of British Columbia (copyright); Deer, Bear and Moose – BC Parks (copyright); Caribou – US Fish and Wildlife Service; Fox – Tourism BC; Sheep – Leonard Sielecki (copyright); All Others - Tom Hall (copyright)

Bigger than you think!

Public Safety – Priority One

BCMoT Wildlife Mitigation History1950’s

Wildlife mitigation began with rattlesnake underpasses in the Okanagan.

1970’s Comprehensive provincial wildlife accident mortality reporting began with the Wildlife Accident Reporting System (WARS).

1980’sDesign and construction of wildlife exclusion systems for large ungulates began with the Coquihalla Highway and the Okanagan Connector.

2000’sLarge scale construction of small mammal underpasses began with the Vancouver Island Inland Highway.

Deer-Vehicle Collision Comparisons

1.2957.61Kaleden - Drought HillHighway 97

0.75124.01Williams Lake - QuesnelHighway 97

0.8272.73Dawson Creek - Fort St JohnHighway 97

1.2480.45Elko - Alberta BorderHighway 3

1.3571.94Yahk - CranbrookHighway 3

1.3755.23Cranbrook - ElkoHighway 3

3.8142Alberta Border

Crowsnest Pass*Highway 3

Deer Collisions/km/year

Distance (km)Highway DescriptionHighway

*Source: Canadian Geographic, 2007

Mitigation Measures• Public information

– Warning signs• Avoid sensitive environments• Relocate highway infrastructure• Redesign

– Narrower footprints– Bridges and culverts– Differential widening– Right-of-way vegetation planning

• Wildlife mitigation infrastructure– Wildlife exclusion fencing– Passage structures

Wildlife Warning Sign Inventory

Wildlife Exclusion Systems

OkanaganConnector

• Fencing and structures designed for moose and deer

• Total installation distance: 82 km

Photo Credit: Moose - BC Parks (copyright); Highway 97C - BC Ministry of Transportation (copyright)

Species Specific Wildlife Exclusion Fencing

One-way Gates

Ungulate Guards

Evolving Underpass Designs

Photo Credits: BC Ministry of Transportation

Deer Overpass(Utah)

Ecoduct Concepts(Holland)

Trepanier Wildlife Overpass

First Wildlife Overpass in Canada

Natural Adaptation

Typical Infrastructure Cycle Stages

• Research and development• Design• Construction• Maintenance• Rehabilitation• Decommissioning• Replacement

Infrastructure Lifespans

• Bridges – 75 years• Concrete roads – 25 to 30 years• Asphalt roads – 12 to 20 years• Gravel roads – 5 to 12 years• Culverts – 12 to 15 years

Infrastructure Modification Opportunity Windows

Bridges and Pavement• Catastrophic event (earthquake, flood, etc.)• Accelerated deterioration (changes in traffic

volume and make-up)• Design failure• Materials failure• Major rehabilitation• End of normal operational lifespan

Highway 3 - Potential Future Projects

Highway 3 - Elko Bluffs

Elko Bluffs

Pavement Condition: Hot-In-Place Resurface proposed 2011/12

Highway 3 - Loop Bridge

Sparwood Rabbit RunPreliminary Site Investigation

Constraints:• Railroad• Creek• Climate• Tough terrain

Design Challenges • Cost and cost-effectiveness• Inadequate design

– Seasonal– Size of animal species– Animal lifecycle– Terrain

• Bad design– Unsafe– Ineffective

• Unproven design

Unexpected Design Defects

Old Design

Do Not Use

Knowledge Transfer

Knowledge Acquisition Processes

Knowledge Transfer Lag

Dynamic Knowledge vs. Static Infrastructure

Context of Information Needs• Substantiated by good research.• Applicable to wildlife habitat/highway right-of-

way interface.• Implementable with industry standard

technology and materials.• Sensitive to operational environment.• Long term, low maintenance, cost effective

solutions. • Sensitive to needs and demands of motoring

public and taxpayers.

Leonard E. SieleckiEnvironmental Issues AnalystBritish Columbia Ministry of Transportation4B - 940 Blanshard StreetPO Box 9850 STN PROV GOVTVictoria BC V8W 9T5

Telephone: (250) 356-2255E-mail: leonard.sielecki@gov.bc.caE-mail: leonard@sielecki.net

Contact Information